


Not What We Expected

by Misty Shadowbrook (Dagger_Stiletto)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-War, Couch Cuddles, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, No Sex, Not Epilogue Compliant, Snarco, Threesome - M/M/M, brief angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3483878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dagger_Stiletto/pseuds/Misty%20Shadowbrook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry has been ill for a while, and so he goes to St. Mungo's at his lovers' insistence. He comes home to an empty house and has time to think of how he wants to tell them the diagnosis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not What We Expected

**Author's Note:**

> This is not the first HP fic I have written, but it is definitely the first one I have written in a while. It is also the first fic I have been able to write in months. Hopefully it doesn't suck too bad. The ending sucks, I know, but it's all I could come up with. Endings are usually hard for me, in fact. Let me know what you think, and if there are any spelling mistakes, or very noticeable grammar mistakes, let me know. I don't have a beta yet, so if you're interested, let me know. Feedback = love!

_The first thing Harry did when_ he got home was rush through the house in search of his lovers. Without a thought to his clothes, he tossed off his cloak and outer robes, unable to contain his excitement. He went to the labs first; Severus was not in his Potions lab, and Draco was not in his chamber where he spent the days researching and testing the combinations of magic and potions for defense. He frowned but wasn't discouraged. It was only midafternoon. They could be up to anything. 

They weren't in the kitchen, nor the den. Severus wasn't in his garden or greenhouse collecting herbs or other such ingredients. They weren't in the library, and Draco wasn't in the sunroom where he occasionally took naps. 

As far as Harry Potter could tell, they weren't anywhere in the little house they'd all had a hand in purchasing when they decided to take that particular step in their relationship. It had been a big step, one they'd all been nervous but oh-so-excited to make.

He frowned. It wasn't like they were _required_ to tell him when they left the house. They were all adults and mature enough to make their own decisions. It had just become habit to tell each other where they were going in case something should happen while they were absent and needed to be in contact for whatever reason. It had been necessary to do so after the war, for several years, due to the unhappy Death Eaters and other such Dark Lord supporters that had wanted to kill them, all for different reasons.

Even with the precautions, none of them had come away unscathed. Severus had almost died from his neck wound being reopened; thankfully, Harry had already made it to Mediwizard status and had been able to keep him alive until his superiors took over. Draco had been poisoned once, and a different time, he took a curse aimed at his mother, and had lost his left little finger in the process. Harry was assaulted with a curse meant to electrocute his brain from the inside, but it had been altered with a counter he'd thrown up in defense, and instead of dying, he was the victim of frequent seizures.

The fact that his lovers of three years hadn't told them they were going out made his stomach squirm. He knew they could take care of themselves, and Draco had given them all pendants that assisted in strengthening defensive magic and shields. All the same, it made him uneasy.

He sighed, resigned that his good news would have to wait. He walked back through the house, picking up his haphazardly discarded clothes so that he could avoid _that_ particular spat with his OCD boyfriends. That word would make them sneer in distaste as well. Ever the proper, snarky, Slytherin bastards. 

He hung up his cloak, called their house elf Winston--he'd insisted on giving him a real name and not something Muggles would give their cat--to take his robes to be laundered. He also asked that Winston make sure to clean any mud marks he may have left on the floor in his haste. The elf, predictably, sniffed in disdain at the mere mention of muck on his floor and nodded in acquiesce before disappearing to go perform his tasks.

Harry went to the room he shared with his lovers and changed his clothes, finding a comfortable green jumper Molly had made him for Christmas. What with all of her children out of her house with stable jobs and the lack of a war, she had time to sit and really think about the colors she chose for the clothes she made. He found a pair of green and black plaid pajama bottoms, then pulled on a pair of warmer socks. The rooms had charms that would monitor and adjust the temperature if it became an unacceptable degree, but he was going for comfort right now, not practicality.

He went to the restroom to look at himself in the mirror. He didn't look different to his own eyes, but Ron had said he looked funny. Hermione promptly elbowed her husband and said that he "glowed." Of course, Harry didn't feel like someone that glowed. He felt like someone with the flu. 

Turns out the flu was far from the cause of his random bouts of sickness, strange appetite, and a newfound desire to sleep at a more acceptable time. Aside from his frequent trips to the loo, Draco and Severus had thought the new behavior a welcome change.

Except for the night before when Harry had opted to sleep instead of have sex. He hadn't wanted to prevent them from having sex entirely, so he'd gone to what they referred to as his Retreat room to sleep. They each had two rooms they went to when they didn't want to be bothered; Severus had his greenhouse and lab, Draco had _his_ lab and the most lavish bathroom in the house aside from the one in the master bedroom suite, and Harry had their owlery and this separate bedroom.

Dressed and comfortable, Harry padded in stocking feet to the room where their floo was located. It had a couch facing the floo, a chair on either side which were turned to face each other, and a coffee table in the center of them all. He took a cushion off the couch and set it on the floor, sitting down on it to use the coffee table as a desk. He asked Winston for parchment, quill, and ink, a few chicken salad sandwiches, and a blanket. 

There, sitting with a blanket around his shoulders, nibbling on sandwiches and sipping chamomile, comfortable and warm, Harry set to writing. He wrote a new dietary plan for himself. Some things he won't be able to eat anymore, some only on occasion, and some he will have to just get used to eating to remain healthy. He'll have to show his mates the list of new potions given to him by the Healers at St. Mungo's; both of them Potions Masters, and neither of them very trusting of anyone else's potions that aren't their own.

He also wrote a list for the house elves to make sure he doesn't come into contact with certain smells and products. He decided to give the list to them later, when he was free to explain. 

Finished, he sighed and cast a tempus charm. He folded his lists and tucked them into his waistband, banishing the rest of the items he no longer. He replaced the cushion. Then the young wizard curled up on the couch to take a nap, feeling more tired than he usually did this time of day. Vaguely, he felt a pillow shift under his head, the blanket tuck over his shoulders and under his chin, just before he drifted off to sleep.

~*~~*~~*~

Sometime after 5pm, Severus and Draco stepped through the floo and took off their cloaks and robes. Winston appeared and took all items, ever the dutiful elf. The older of the two had been called out for an emergency consultation, and as Draco hadn't had anything else to do that day, he'd gone along with him. Only when they arrived did they realize that they'd forgotten to leave a note or message of some sort for Harry when he came back home from St. Mungo's.

Now, settled, they saw that their lover was snoozing on the couch, most likely resting while he waited for them to come home. He was sentimental like that, sometimes like a Hufflepuff in that regard. The little things mattered to him, and it was amazingly easy to appease and make him happy. He was selfless and had enough love for both of them equally, which was one of the reasons why they loved him so much in return. He didn't expect anything but the little things and common courtesy and the occasional affirmation that they loved him back.

"He must be truly feeling bad if he's sleeping at this time of day," Draco remarked. "He doesn't usually get exhausted after one outing."

Severus nods in agreement. His level of concern was profound. He doesn't normally get too worried about anything, but recently, he'd been more concerned with the welfare of his lovers. He assumed it was due to his ever growing attachment to them and the strengthening of romantic emotions for them. The slender older wizard stepped around the coffee table, sitting on it as he looked Harry over. He didn't have a fever. His skin was warm from sleep and the blankets around him. His lymphnodes weren't swollen, and his skin wasn't clammy. He was breathing just fine. He hoped the Healers had been competent this time around.

Harry mumbled a little as Severus combed his hand through the black, ever-messy hair. Draco smiled and lifted Harry's feet, sitting on the couch and dropping them into his lap. Harry sighed. Severus flicked a glance at the blonde to tell him to be careful not to wake him, and Draco stuck out his tongue, massaging Harry's feet and ankles.

It doesn't take long for Harry to wake up with a sleepy mumble. He blinked, then smiled softly when groggy emerald eyes alight on Severus. "Hi, Sev," he greeted. He shuffled a little and sat up. "Hi, Draco. Everything okay? I got a little worried when I couldn't find you or a note."

"Sorry, luv," Draco responded. "Severus was called out on emergency, and I went with to help. We were in such a hurry that we forgot about the note. It won't happen again."

"It's okay." He moved to the middle cushion so Severus could sit down on the couch. He promptly nuzzled into the older wizard's shoulder. He was his most affectionate when sleepy and only half-awake, like a kitten. "What was the emergency?"

"A new werewolf had an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients in the new Wolfsbane," Severus replied, gently carding his hand through the beloved mess of raven hair. "We had to isolate which ingredient, neutralize his anaphylaxis, and work the rest of the potion through him. Now Draco and I will have to figure out how to make a substitute for the ingredient so this wolf won't have to suffer during the full moon."

"Wow. Sounds like it'll be a perplexing project." Harry smiled. He knew that a good puzzle or mystery was one of Severus' favorite things, and the more frustrating it was, the more satisfied he would be when he conquered it.

"How was your visit to St. Mungo's, Harry?" Draco inquired, getting straight to the point.

Harry's expression changed, and it was hard to pinpoint exactly what the emotion displayed was. Severus held back a frown, although his mind was racing through possible diagnoses. If he'd thought that what Harry had was serious, he would have sent Harry to hospital much sooner. Now his mind was running through all possible illnesses based off his outward symptoms, and even going through what illnesses were known in both the Evans' line and the Potters' line.

"It went well, I suppose," the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice replied, cutting into the frantic train of thought. "Although the diagnosis isn't at all what we thought."

Now, Draco's brows drew down into a frown of unease. "What do you mean? Are you okay? Is it curable? Don't mess with us, Harry. We Slytherins don't have that kind of patience when it comes to mates."

That last comment made Harry smile, and he seemed to relax, bringing to Severus' attention that he'd been tense in the first place. "Don't worry, Dray. I'm not going to die." He straightened up and reached inside his shirt, handing a piece of parchment to Severus.

Severus frowned a little, glancing at the parchment, which had a list of potions. "What is this, Harry?" he demanded, not yet reading the paper. Draco reached across and took the parchment from him, which Severus allowed without protest.

"My _condition_ requires those potions for treatment," Harry replied, his fingers twisting the hem of his shirt nervously. Severus placed his hand on the younger brunette's to calm them, absently, focusing on both of his lovers' faces. Harry bit his lip, and Draco frowned as he read the list written in the Healer's scrawl.

"Are you sure, Harry?" the Malfoy heir demanded, staring fiercely at the paper now, making Severus' anxiety level rise.

"As sure as we possibly can be," Harry replied, and it was obvious that there was steel in his tone to keep his voice from shaking with nerves. "They brought in a Healer from Australia and one from India for second and third opinions. They were all in agreement."

"They were all in agreement about _what_?" Severus demanded, just this side of hissing in irritation.

"These are all potions used during male pregnancies, Severus," Draco said, in awe and probably a little bit in shock. He shoved the parchment back at him, and Severus snatched it, unable to believe his ears.

Sure enough, though, as he scanned the list of potions, the situation became clear. Pre-natal potions, nutrient potions, hormone stability potions, artificial womb protector potions, magic boosters....

"How far along are you?" was all Severus could think to say, his heart pounding in an emotion that he couldn't name right now. 

"Five weeks," Harry replied. He wasn't making eye contact with anyone at this point. His nervousness was palpable, rolling off of him in waves. "I'm keeping the baby," he blurted out suddenly, startling both Slytherins. "I don't care what you guys say, I'm keeping him or her no matter what."

"Harry...why do you say that?What do you mean, no matter what we say?" Draco asked, perplexed and visibly as surprised as Severus felt.

Harry stood in a flurry of nerves and distress. "Well it's not like you guys are jumping for joy or ecstatic about the news," he said. "And I've always wanted a family, but I never thought I'd get one without adopting or having to impregnate a woman, which I'm not too keen on doing. And then I find out that _I'm_ pregnant, and I'm scared but so fucking _happy_. But I love you both, and I don't want to lose you, but if I have to choose between you and the baby...."

All throughout, Draco and Severus sat and listened. By now they know not to interrupt this type of babble, knowing that as annoying as they may view it, he would only get less manageable if they try to interrupt or calm him. When he trailed off, however, they leap to put him at ease, fully aware of how he must feel at their lack of true reaction.

"Harry, calm down, luv," Draco said, grabbing his forearms and smoothing his palms down to his wrists, where his thumbs rub the sensitive undersides. "Breathe for a moment and listen."

"I know you may not have learned this in Hogwarts, what with all that had happened, as well as the deplorably outdated curriculum," Severus began, keeping his tone smooth and informative, not at all condescending like he may have a decade ago. "Male pregnancies are rare, and even rarer when the pregnancy isn't planned for. Male pregnancies are usually obtained with the brewing of several potions: one to temporarily increase the power and strength of magic of the 'father' and 'mother'; one to make sure the 'mother's' body is totally receptive to the increase of lifegiving magic; one to create an artificial womb inside the 'mother'; and nutrient potions which would have to be administered for no less than eight days, if not more, before the deed is done."

At this point, Harry had calmed down, and he was breathing slowly and easily while Draco coaxed him down to sit sideways on the blonde's lap. He listened avidly, eyes completely trained on Severus as he spoke. "But I didn't have any of those potions," he murmured, confused. "How could I be pregnant if I didn't take any potions? I didn't even know this was possible. And why wasn't I taught during my studies to become Mediwizard."

"The last time a British homosexual wizard couple successfully had a baby through male pregnancy was six decades ago," Draco replied, rubbing between Harry's shoulder blades. "They probably didn't think it necessary to put it in Mediwizard curriculum. As it is, I believe only the older Healers are even aware of it."

"Well then, what about how this happened?" Harry reiterated, looking back to Severus again.

"There have only been two instances where potions had not been involved in conception in the British Wizarding World," Severus responded. "What they don't teach in Hogwarts is that there was a lovechild between Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin. No one knows what happened to the child, as it was never recorded anywhere other than Slytherin's journal, which has never been found. What was recorded for history was that only wizards with an immense love for one another coupled with unusually strong magical cores could conceive a child without the use of potions.

"Harry, your magical core is strong enough to have withstood death _three_ times in as little as 28 years, as well as years of emotional and physical abuse. I have survived countless Cruciatus curses, psychological torment, and being in close contact with Dark magic and Dark artifacts. Draco has spent his whole life surrounded by the Dark artifacts the Malfoy line has collected, as well as some of the artifacts his mother brought from the Black estate, being raised by Dark wizards, and survived the Sectumsempra curse. Ours are easily the strongest magical cores in the British Wizarding World."

The Boy-Who-Lived-Twice took a moment to process all of this information. Severus reached out and touched Harry's knee, offering understanding and support. He and Draco met each other's gazes. Explaining things to Harry had calmed him, and now the older Slytherin just wanted to hold him. Wanted to kiss him senseless until all that was left but the knowledge and emotions of love and devotion they all felt for each other.

"So...you want the baby?" Harry asked.

Severus jerked him forward into a hard, demanding, _loving_ kiss. He held him tight, and Draco pressed flush to Harry's back, hands stroking over his arms and under his shirt to caress his stomach and ribs. Harry whimpered, melting, giving in to their strength and love and dominance, his magic fluctuating gently around them. Severus stole his breath, and together they stole his heart and mind. 

He broke the kiss, letting them both breath, but he lay little biting kisses on his lower lip and along his jaw. Draco seemed occupied on his neck and shoulder, and Harry shuddered against them with a moan. " _Yes_ , Harry, you dunderhead," Severus said urgently. "Of _course_ we want the baby. We want any and all babies you can give us."

"Perfect number would be four," Draco muttered against Harry's neck, and Harry seemed just this side of keening. "Two for me and two for Severus."

Harry laughed wetly and circled one arm around Severus' neck, the other curving back to touch Draco. "We may have to revisit that number at a later date. One that we can all agree on." He fell silent, seemingly content to just rest there for a bit. "I love you guys," he murmured, pressing back into Draco and tilting his head so his and Severus' noses nuzzle. The other two wizards made agreeing noises, content to cuddle and hold each other, basking in the comfortable completeness.

"Who all knows?" Severus inquired after a while.

"Aside from the Healers? Only you two," Harry replied, sounding sleepy again, which was completely understandable now. "I wanted to do this right. That meant telling the fathers before telling anyone else." He smiled, emerald eyes hazy with love and happiness.

It meant more to Severus than Harry would ever know. If there was ever a doubt, the selfless consideration, the fact that Harry didn't even tell the Weasleys and Granger-Weasley before them, spoke volumes and cemented his devotion in the Potions Master's mind. Everything seemed to click into place inside him, and the rightness and completeness was surprising. Apparently there had been a minute bit of doubt and worry, self-consciousness, that lingered, and this eradicated it irrevocably. A brief glance over Harry's shoulder told him that Draco felt the same way.

"This baby," Draco said, hands rubbing against Harry's currently flat tummy, "is going to be _so_ spoiled."


End file.
